This takes a little time to set up, but your lines will be so straight, it'll make you "go to the bathroom"!

>>> You'll have to bring your ceiling paint down onto the walls a good inch or so...brushing-out bottom edge so it's hazy with no "edge".

1) Using a sharp razor, cut slightly into/around a roll of good 1" painters-tape, rougly in the middle. Doesn't matter if the cut is wavy...you'll have 2 factory edges now!

2) Have a helpers in 2 corners on a chair hold a string real tight 1/2' down from their corners. Make light pencil tik-marks every foot or so down the wall. Repeat around room.

3) Now, use your split-tape above your pencil lines. The wavy cut will of course will face the ceiling, while the straight edge will touch your marks.

4) Now here's the REAL trick!!!
* Using a good painter's-caulk, put a pea-size drop on your fingertip, and apply a teeny amount at the tape edge where your WALL-paint will hit.
* Try to make this "pea" go 8-12 ft. You don't need much caulk.
* When tape-edge is caulked, use a clean rag and wipe away any visible caulk. You're leaving just a miniscule amount to stop any bleed.

5) Now...paint away!
* Don't start at the edge with a heavy load of paint.
* Unload most of your paint in the field, bringing the remainder of paint UP TO the edge. "Capillary pull" is much less with less paint at a tape's edge!
* Subtle but important difference there!

6) This is foolproof...just a little time-consuming!

Faron

Wow thank you!!! I won't be able to get to paint until after Thanksgiving but if I'm able to, I'll post pictures...if I'm successful :)

Faron, we went to paint today and I referred to your tip. I'm not sure I quite understand where to put the tape and the painters caulk. The way I read it, the trim line would end up 1/2" down on the wall.

I ended up asking a paint person at Lowe's and she suggested Frog tape (similar to painters tape but green). It actually worked beautifully.

Thanks for your tip though, I appreciate it.